Forums > Social Discussion > Eating Fresh, Eating Local

Login/Join to Participate

KyrianDreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England


Posted:
A thread idea I have thought about before, inspired most recently by bluecats post in "178 Starbucks."

I've been involved in trading co-ops (rather than the living kind) all my life (To non-americans, I'm afraid I've never had much luck explaining the concept in full, but basically they are stores owned by all the poeple who shop there, usually commited to local growers/farms and oraganics, etc.) I enjoy supporting local ethical farms when I can, and when in michigan its not too hard to find people who at least practice good living conditions, no animal cruelty, and organices, altho I'm unsure about the sustainable bit. Obvioulsy the further away you move from farmland, and/or the lower the ratio of farms to people, the harder its going to be to support local farms per se. (For example, NYC.... really more of a city than anything!)

Additionally, I obviously enjoy fresh imports from all over the world and I don't want that to stop either!

But one thing pointed out to me in some of the literature I read in my breif visit to the eden project is that buying things out of season is one of many things that can be harmful to ecology. Granted some "out of season" products are just in season somewhere else, which is fine (depending on your point of view), but others are specifically grown at less desirable times just so there's a continuing supply.... Thats one thought. Of course, depending on where you live and how much food near you is imported, your choices vary vastly.

So, basically, I'm wondering what kinds of things people do either to support local farms or good growing practices, and what kind of food rotation you either do or could imagine using to keep things more "in season" to where you live... That would also have the effect of creating more variety, but then, how do you make sure you've enough of all your nutrients in each month?

Thoughts please.....

Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive

Shalom VeAhavah

New Hampshire has a point....


FireTomStargazer
6,650 posts

Posted:
The most abstruse incident was happening to me in Byron Bays' (NSW wink ) local "Woolies" where I was able to find Kiwis - grown in Italy... eek confused they were not in a nice shape and tasted weird anyways... but to find them comnig from Europe, when New Zealand delicious Kiwis are just a few hours away.... shrug

Transportation of goods all over the planet became super-cheap due to the investment into a massive fleet of containerships by investment funds (with governmental subsidies). But therefore the ammount of CO2 (symbolically speaking) on top of every fruit that has to be shipped across the oceans is freaky.

Besides when you have tasted a fresh ripe pineapple, bananas, or fresh juicy coconuts, you miss it badly when chosing one from your Manhattan grocery shop.

Buying locally (in co-ops) will make a small - but nevertheless a difference... therefore (from me)

YAY for co-ops and local growing/buying... clap

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink


DoktorSkellSILVER Member
addict
475 posts
Location: Van Diemans Land, Australia


Posted:
There is a local sandwich hole in the wall in my home town that makes great sandwiches. they have this written up on their blackboard

"Due to low dependability of the supply of fresh local barn laid eggs we have until further notice dropped eggs from our choice of salads. It seems battery farms are winning the egg war "But not here""

Good job. I like those guys. i buy their sandwiches. The chicken they use tastes more real than any other chicken i have ever tasted too.

Fair luna bright, fair luna moon
it shines at night but fades too soon
fair luna moon, fair luna bright
forever we dance
we dance under starlight


FireTomStargazer
6,650 posts

Posted:
is it a mom and pops? wink

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink


KatPSILVER Member
Muddy fingernails
505 posts
Location: Way oop norf, Scotland (UK)


Posted:
I get all my Fruit and veg in the form of a veg box delivered by a farm. It's great £15, no trip to the shops, there's loads in it and it's all seasonal (this week we got the biggest swede you've ever seen in your life!). It's also quite good fun coming home on a Friday to find your veg box of unknown contents - kinda like a weekly present. Quite a lot of places do this now.

We also try to buy any meat at either the farmers market or from a 'Guild of Q butchers' butcher. This means it's local, and non-intensively farmed. And it tastes miles better. More expensive, but we just have it less often.

If we do need to get stuff at the supermarket, I always try to buy British produce - then at least it has travelled less.

Future plans include getting a house with some land so we can grow our own fruit and veg, and maybe some chickens and a pig or two. Not quite Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, but along those lines!

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!

KITTENS!!!!


Rouge DragonBRONZE Member
Insert Champagne Here
13,215 posts
Location: without class distinction, Australia


Posted:
I try to buy locally. More now than I used to. However now that I've moved out and living on my own budget it's going to be comprimised a bit, which I do regret.

i would have changed ***** to phallus, and claire to petey Petey

Rougie: but that's what I'm doing here
Arnwyn: what letting me adjust myself in your room?..don't you dare quote that on HoP...



Similar Topics

Using the keywords [eating fresh eating local] we found the following existing topics.

  1. Forums > Eating Fresh, Eating Local [5 replies]

      Show more..

HOP Newsletter

Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more...